1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to vehicle jacks. More specifically, the invention is an automotive vehicle body lifter or jacking system for removing a vehicle""s body off the frame for restorations and/or repairs.
2. Description of Related Art
Numerous vehicle jacks have been devised for lifting and supporting various vehicles and portions thereof for making repairs and/or refurbishing respective portions of the vehicle. Early developments of vehicle mounted jacks are described in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,321,180 issued to Hutchinson in 1967. This particular jack is a four-poster-type screw jack system with motor driven belt tracks mounted around sprockets. As with many of the conventional vehicle jack systems herein described, complex gear, train and track mechanisms have been used to remove or displace external body loads or forces from the frames of vehicles. Consequently, these complex features have contributed to increased maintenance and repair costs over the life of conventional jack systems. A vehicle body lifter which is durable, simple in construction and easy to deploy with reduced maintenance repair costs as herein described is lacking in the following conventional vehicle jack systems.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,536,161 issued to Clarke discloses an overhead frame with four box legs extending downwardly therefrom. Each of the legs has a traveler mounted for movement longitudinally of the leg and raised or lowered with a hydraulic cylinder. At the bottom of each traveler is a wheel to support the lift when the traveler is in the lowered position.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,881,689 issued to Bury, deceased et al. discloses a camper body lifting device which includes wheels. The device is substantially rectangular in construction and has a support member connecting a pair of frames at one end. To each side of the frames, intermediate their ends, a pair of mechanical jacks having a rack tooth bar and a hollow post are vertically mounted.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,395,202 issued to Peters discloses a similar camper lifting device for supporting and lifting a wheelless vehicle mounted camper.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,463,937 issued to Celette discloses an apparatus for a gauge block for the inspection and/or repair of motor vehicle body works. The apparatus comprises two parallel longitudinal members having an I-section. Two cross members are disposed beneath the longitudinal members for movement along the longitudinal members by means of rollers. The extremities of the cross members carry lateral brackets outside the gauge block, and include sliding vertical arms adapted to support the base of the vehicle body.
U.S. Patents issued to Peyret (U.S. Pat. No. 4,986,107), Huckabee (U.S. Pat. No. 5,752,408) and Tomelleri (U.S. Pat. No. 5,016,464) disclose support structures for accident-damaged bodies and/or automotive body repairs. As disclosed in the Huckabee patent the support structure includes a octagonally shaped structure which is secured to the lateral sides of a vehicle""s body for body repair. The patent issued to Peyret is directed to a lower rack assembly on wheels for inspecting the under portion or chassis of vehicles. However, the apparatus taught by Tomelleri is a synthesis of the previous two patents wherein a repair wrench operatively mounted to a base or rack assembly having a pair of hydraulic jacks mounted thereto is manipulated on lateral sides of a vehicle""s body for effecting repairs or removal from the vehicle""s frame.
Other Patents respectively issued and granted to Stefan (U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,864), Hine (GB 456,259) and Kusanao (JP 1190535) disclose conventional lift devices which are considered to be of general relevance to the vehicle body lifter as herein described. Thus, none of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
The automotive vehicle body lifter jacking system according to the invention has a rectangular frame made of square steel tubing with threaded receiving apertures disposed therein at each respective corner of the frame. Attached at each corner are respective elongated, threaded jacking bolts used for selectively lifting a body from the frame of a vehicle. A critical lifting height of approximately three inches per bolt is used for providing a predetermined level of rise of the body. The jacking system is actuated mechanically, hydraulically or electrically to raise the lifter in combination with a fixed body. Wheels are secured to the bottom of each corner for mobility and maneuverability of the lifting structure. Each threaded bolt or rod is actuated to provide a lifting height of critical rise per bolt in sequence for fully lifting a body from the frame.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a vehicle body lifter for lifting a vehicle""s body from its supporting frame for body restoration and/or repairs.
It is another object of the invention to provide a vehicle body lifter which is easy to assemble or deploy.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a vehicle body lifter which can be actuated by mechanical, hydraulic or electrical means.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which are inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing their intended purposes.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.